Ginkgo biloba Extract EGb761 Attenuates Bleomycin-Induced Experimental Pulmonary Fibrosis in Mice by Regulating the Balance of M1/M2 Macrophages and Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB)-Mediated Cellular Apoptosis.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to show whether the standardized Ginkgo biloba extract EGb761, a traditional Chinese medicine, has a therapeutic effect on pulmonary fibrosis (PF). MATERIAL AND METHODS Bleomycin (BLM) was used for establishing the PF mouse model. The mice were treated with a gradient of EGb761 for 28 days to determine an appropriate drug dose. On day 28, the effect of EGb761 on lung injury and inflammation was confirmed by hematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining and evaluated by pulmonary alveolitis and Ashcroft score. The balance of M1/M2 macrophages was evaluated with the respective markers inducible nitric oxide synthase and and interleukin-10 by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the expressions of fibrosis-associated protein alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA), related inflammatory protein transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1, the apoptosis-related proteins B-cell lymphoma-associated X protein (Bax), B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2, caspase-3, caspase-9, and phosphorylated nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB (p65) were assessed by western blot. RESULTS On day 28, PF was induced by treating with BLM, whereas EGb761 suppressed the PF of lung tissue. The BLM-induced imbalance of M1/M2 macrophages was reduced by EGb761. Furthermore, the increasing amounts of alpha-SMA and TGF-ß1 induced by BLM were suppressed by EGb761. In addition, the protein or messenger ribonucleic acid expression levels of phosphorylated NF-kappaB (p65), caspase-3, and caspase-9 were upregulated, whereas Bax and Bcl-2 were downregulated. Treatment with EGb761 restored the levels of these proteins except for caspase-9. CONCLUSIONS This study illustrated the protective effect of EGb761 on BLM-induced PF by regulating the balance of M1/M2 macrophages and NF-kappaB (p65)-mediated apoptosis. The results demonstrated the potential clinical therapeutic effect of EGb761, providing a novel possibility for curing PF.

Compatibility of sodium alginate and konjac glucomannan and their applications in fabricating low-fat mayonnaise-like emulsion gels.

In this study, the compatibility of alginate (Alg) and konjac glucomannan (KGM) in aqueous solutions was evaluated by dilute solution viscometry (DSV). It was found that when Alg: KGM ratio was lower than 6:4 (w/w), Alg and KGM were compatible, which was subsequently confirmed by SEM, AFM and TEM. Moreover, by dispersing emulsified oil droplets into Alg gel matrix, followed by addition of KGM to thicken the system, where the ratio of Alg: KGM was 5:5, a class of emulsion gels with significant thixotropy and viscoelasticity could be obtained. The prepared emulsion gels displayed good thermal stability and freeze-thaw stability, with no oil droplet coalescence observed after heating at 100°C for 30 min or freezing the gels at -18°C for 24 h. Overall, the mixed Alg/KGM system is expected to provide a template for designing low-fat mayonnaise-like food emulsions.

Variation in nutritional compositions, antioxidant activity and microstructure of Lycopus lucidus Turcz. root at different harvest times.

The objective of this study was to investigate the variation in nutritional compositions, antioxidant activity and microstructure of Lycopus lucidus Turcz. root at different harvest times. L. lucidus Turcz. roots, harvested from two sites (S1 and S2) at three different times (T1: 19-11-2013, T2: 22-12-2013 and T3: 27-01-2014), were analyzed for nutritional compositions, antioxidant activity by DPPH, FRAP and TEAC assays and microstructure. The results revealed that the protein content in L. lucidus Turcz. root first decreased and then increased to a maximum at T3. The reducing sugar content had no significant differences among the three harvest dates studied. The starch content decreased drastically along with an increase of crude fat content with the harvest time delayed. The major amino acids in L. lucidus Turcz. root were aspartic acid and glutamate and the highest total amino acid content was found for the root harvested at T3. The most common element in L. lucidus Turcz. root was detected to be potassium followed by calcium, iron, magnesium, copper and manganese, and their changes were discrepant in the period of harvest. The FP and SGP possessed the highest and lowest phenolic content, respectively. The change of SEP was significantly correlated to the SGP at different harvest times. The highest TPC was found for the root harvested at T3 and the most abundant phenolic acid was chlorogenic acid. The highest and lowest DPPH radical scavenging capacity was observed for the SGP and FP, respectively. The highest and lowest FRAP and TEAC were observed for the FP and SGP, respectively. The results of correlation analysis indicated that there was significant correlation between phenolic content and FRAP and TEAC, and different antioxidant assays. The microstructure of L. lucidus Turcz. root also varied greatly with the harvest times.

Phenolic composition, DNA damage protective activity and hepatoprotective effect of free phenolic extract from Sphallerocarpus gracilis seeds.

The phenolic composition of the free phenolic extract from Sphallerocarpus gracilis seeds was analyzed by HPLC-MS and predominant compounds were chlorogenic acid, di-caffeoylquinic acid glucoside and luteolin-7-O-glucoside. The free phenolic extract was evaluated for DNA damage protective activity induced by ROO and OH radicals and hepatoprotective effect in vivo and in vitro. Results revealed that the free phenolic extract exhibited significant protective activity against both ROO and OH radical-induced DNA damage and the phenolic extract exerted more potent inhibitory activity against OH radical-induced damage than against that induced by ROO radicals. In vivo experimental results showed that the phenolic extract significantly prevented the increase of serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities and hepatic malondialdehyde level caused by CCl4 in rats, and markedly increased hepatic superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase levels. Histopathological examinations further confirmed that the phenolic extract could protect the liver from CCl4-induced damage. In vitro experimental results showed that the phenolic extract could reduce BRL hepatocyte apoptosis and damage induced by CCl4. These findings indicate that the S. gracilis seed could be developed as a medicinal herb for the therapy and prevention of hepatic injury.